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Nekomata Clan
Ideology The Nekomata clan, which is made up of numerous families, is a very traditional clan that values those self-same traditions, honor, integrity, and valor above most other things. In many cases it is very fair to compare them to feudal Japanese samurai and their society. All but a handful of clan members are trained to be exceptional martial artists and those that show some aptitude will be trained further in some minor ninjutsu and various other techniques within the clan. The handful who have the capability will become actual shinobi, joining the Iwagakure academy and training to become even more powerful warriors. Because of their rather martial nature and the clans exceptional size, they provide a rather large chunk of military power to the land, as many of their non-trained shinobi are still potent and highly trained warriors that can fight on the level of chuunin shinobi and should not be underestimated. Martial skill is highly prized within the clan, as they value their militaristic contributions to the land and village, but it is only slightly elevated above the artisanal skills that they master. When not in times of war, most members of the Nekomata strive to master other disciplines alongside their martial aspects, becoming builders, artists, scholars, and pursuing other fields as well. Shinobi, particularly kunoichi, are particularly valued for their ability to learn the clan hijutsus and represent them in the shinobi world. The Nekomata are a rather insular clan, not getting involved in outside politics, as they are plenty large enough to have hosts of their own problems to deal with. However, as a particularly wealthy clan thanks to their skilled artisans and warriors, they are often taken into consideration by others and tend to have a passive sway on political decisions. Upsetting the Nekomata, while extremely difficult, could throw a rather large wrench into the plans of many. While not following any particular religion, the Nekomata do have their own sets of minor deities that they look up to, which are akin to nature spirits and the like of Japanese folklore. One particular entity they cherish is the cat - the bringer of good fortune and luck, two things greatly appreciated in both battle and employment. These cat spirits are considered the patrons of the Nekomata and thus cats are cherished by the clan - which coincides with their compounds being filled with large cats that have 'retired' from active service and languish around like other felines, enjoying their twilight years and being pampered by their caretakers. When meeting a member of the Nekomata clan, it is fair to assume they shall be pleasant and formal. They treat members of their clan well and those of other clans even better. Their hospitality is said to be second-to-none and if there were ever a hint that it were lacking, the lengths they would go to to make up for it would be great. The ones most likely to deviate from their particularly formal fashion would be the shinobi who spend much time away. When home in their clan compounds, they will tend to behave similarly to their families, but in the outer world they tend to loosen up a little bit. Clan History The Formation of the Nekomata In the time before Iwagakure, and before even the warring states, the clans and families that would someday make up the Nekomata clan of modern times were strewn across the harsh, inhospitable lands of Tsuchi no Kuni. They were not among the five great clans to eventually found the highly militaristic shinobi village of Iwagakure, nor were they any of the powerful clans that would dominate the warring states period. No, they were minor players - footnotes in history. Until a man known as Mugen Eizō appeared. Eizō was a man made for war; with a keen mind, finely honed talents, and a never-before seen technique he would call the Sankon Tessō, he led members of his clan into battle against his rivals. Though the Mugen clan was nothing particularly special on their own, with Eizō at the helm even a minor bunch of brigands like them could become a fearsome foe. And so, they battled and battled, fighting against the Ōkami, their most bitter rivals, who eventually adopted a method of combat similar to the one developed by the Mugen clan. Without it, they'd never have been able to face Eizō in combat, for his mighty metal claws enhanced with potent chakra could break weapons and rend armor with ease. Despite their advancements, the Ōkami were inevitably defeated, and were assimilated by Eizō, who took the finely honed and veteran samurai warriors of the Ōkami and combined them with his agile and stealthy assassin clanmates. Their animosity was short-lived. They could only hate each other for so long, as the world was plunged into the period known as the warring states. Though they would face off against dangerous shinobi clans, the newly formed allied Mugen and Ōkami clan would fight bitter battles with numerous foes, beating them back time-and-time again. Without impressive ninjutsu that was being developed slowly, they were at a disadvantage, but they were tenacious and veteran warriors who had been battling before the warring states era had begun, and though Mugen Eizō was getting much older, he was still a insurmountable obstacle in battlefield strategy. The most noteworthy foe for the new clans was the Miyake Clan. A group of odd individuals who had created strong bonds with large felines that went into battle with them. These cats were large, fast, and very dangerous, and with their Miyake handlers aiding them with weapons became a rather mighty foe. But numbers would inevitably dictate the victor, and the Miyake were subjugated. Given the option of joining with the others or being annihilated, the Miyake agreed under one condition: proper respect be given to the felines they worked with and that they, the cats, be treated as equals. Eizō agreed and in honor of their new members and to respect their agreement and show good faith, he decreed that the three clans would become families and join together under the banner of the Nekomata. As the era of war progressed, Eizō's health failed and he passed away. He left his daughter in charge of the clan, and though she was extremely capable, she was not quite the strategos Eizō had been. None of them were. So, she drew together a war council to help in their efforts, and the Nekomata chose a new opponent. Under the banner of Mugen Aisha, they flourished further. By the end of the war, the Nekomata had become a feared group of warriors. They had developed their own Ninjutsus, their war-making strategies had become refined, and their numbers had swelled until few other clans would dare face off against them. Especially once the Miyake had learned how to increase their bond with the feline companions and developed the Bakeneko techniques. The Rise of Iwagakure When the five noble clans gathered together and formed the shinobi village of Iwagakure and elected their first Tsuchikage, the Nekomata had solidified control of a remote, borderland region of Tsuchi no Kuni. With the backing of the Daimyo and the large armies of the five clans, the lands of Tsuchi no Kuni were quickly gathering together and becoming one. And it was expected that the Nekomata would join as well. Though they lacked the numbers of shinobi, the Nekomata was a clan of great numbers and all but a handful were powerful warriors in their own right. Fighting a war against them would have been something few would undertake without great caution. Instead, negotiations ensued with surprisingly quick outcome. The Nekomata were numerous, and though they boasted extreme military presence for "one" clan, they had a problem that stemmed from the very same fact: a lack of food. Shelter was poor, and fields were barren. Hunting was barely enough to sustain them and foraging was a patchy proposition, and so they were on the verge of hunger. Though they did not let it be known to the other clan's negotiators, the Nekomata were becoming desperate and they would not let a good opportunity go to waste. Their negotiations were swift and in many ways, they came out on top - which is easy to do when you're on the verge of starvation. The Nekomata's negotiators had ensured they would be a prominent clan in the future with all that it entailed, and though they vowed to remain out of politics, they also decreed that if legislation were leveled against them as a tool of oppression they would resist or desert, a clause that remains in effect even in modern times, though few recall such a thing. And so, the Nekomata became part of the forces of Iwagakure, lending their highly trained shinobi, the females who could utilize the Bakeneko techniques, and the men who showed great potential with chakra control, to the military might of the Tsuchikage. With the pledged auxiliary forces of the Nekomata samurai at their back, the five noble clans' might increased greatly, but would it be enough for what the future had in store? The First Kage Summit and First Shinobi War What was meant to be a diplomatic and peaceful meeting between village leaders ended with... none of that. The State of Fields, a minor country between Hi no Kuni and Tsuchi no Kuni, remained neutral and occupied by Konohagakure's forces which claimed it as their domain, not of Iwagakure's. The Tsuchikage did not agree, and so conflict arose. The Nekomata, masters of the open war, were at the forefront of the conflict. They may not have had many shinobi like the other clans, but they knew how to fight the long battles and win against a superior foe. And so, they proved valuable in that regard. Miyake Haruki, the leader of the Nekomata at the time, led the Nekomata samurai into the State of Fields and engaged the Konohgakure shinobi. Though they were vastly different types of forces, the Nekomata proved they should not be underestimated, as their odd chakra techniques proved quite effective against anyone foolish enough to get close to them. Though the attempt to seize the land of fields was short-lived, as a tailed beast was unleashed upon Iwagakure, the Nekomata had proven themselves valuable in the skirmishes and was left as the rear-guard to keep Konohagakure from pressing the advantage of Iwagakure's retreat. Thus, the Nekomata took up defense on the border and waited for anyone to test them. None did. The outbreak of true war between Iwagakure and Konohagakure and the allies of both proved another opportunity for the Nekomata to prove themselves. They would fight hard, and over-and-over again earn reputations as fierce fighters and dangerous contenders in war. They were, however, not without their losses. Miyake Haruki was slain in battle, as were many others of the Nekomata. By the end of the war, they had suffered a number of losses and were quite ready for things to calm down when they did. The Second and Third Shinobi Wars By the time the second shinobi war began, the Nekomata had recouped most of their losses. With disciplines of the Mugen family, who had historically been assassins and masters of subterfuge, becoming very useful as they were seeded in among the outlying lands of Konohagakure as spies and lied in wait, prepared to strike as needed or alter Iwagakure of impending attacks. Some even theorize that without such activities being conducted by the Nekomata's Mugen branch that the assassination attempt against the Nidaime would not have been foiled so smoothly. So, when the second war began, the Nekomata struck hard and fast, tearing apart the regions they were in as they fell back to regroup, dealing harsh blows to Konohagakure infrastructure as recompense for losses suffered in the past. None would claim that the Nekomata did not hold a grudge. And this time, unlike before, the Nekomata flourished. Their non-shinobi auxiliary forces had developed shinobi-countermeasures that had proven quite effective and allowed them to fight much more efficiently against their individually more dangerous opponents. When the ceasefire and non-aggression pact was signed, the Nekomata could be said to have been disappointed. The war was going well for them and they had claimed many spoils which would improve the clan's wealth in the near future. Fortunatey, the third shinobi war was right on the heels of the second. With the increased aggression of the Iwagakure shinobi after the loss of the Rokubi, the Nekomata found themselves among allies that were able to make use of their particular skills. However, during the third war, the Nekomata forces would be rerouted to the deserts of Sunagakure, where they would take the fight all the way into heart of the enemy village, sacking and pillaging, and nearly razing the village to the ground. Even the Nidaime Kazekage would perish in the battles for the village, and thus the Nekomata would return home, successful, and rich. Their losses had been considerably reduced in proportion to the overall losses in the war, meaning that in time, the Nekomata would continue to flourish. The prewar plannings that would start up in the near future at urgings of the Nidaime were of interest to the Nekomata, however, the politicking as not. Though they supported the Nidaime as the rightful ruler, they evoked ther ability to remain free of politics and stayed away during the resulting conflict. It was no secret, however, that the Nekomata did not approve of the new Tsuchikage. Thus, as Nōhime Kouen waged his secret civil war, the Nekomata aided with resources, but not manpower. Whether it was critical in the end or not is uncertain, but they had chosen a side. With Kouen in power, the Nekomata found themselves in an odd position. He ruled with an iron fist and imposed fear upon the people. Policies were changed and the Nekomata began feeling... oppressed. And they did not like that. Though few would say they were, in truth, being oppressed, it was all the justification the Nekomata required to join the then rebel forces. The only time in history the Nekomata would rise up against the powers that be, and it would have devastating consequences for the Tsuchikage who would not survive the consequences of his betrayal of trust. With the Nekomata aiding the founding clans of the Tantetsu and Yutakako, Kouen would inevitably be executed as reparations by Iwagakure. After that point, the Nekomata returned to normalcy. Democracy would have its say and a new Tsuchikage would be eventually selected and the Nekomata could do their own thing as they pleased, a very cat-like thing for a very cat-like clan. So, for now, the Nekomata are a sleeping beast with sharpened claws and a coat of golden filigree, an ally worth having and an enemy to be feared. Clan Hierarchy The Nekomata clan is a group of eight families that were brought together long ago, well-before the formation of the shinobi villages, and have been together since. Their society is a very matriarchal one, in which the women tend to lead in many regards. This is primarily seen in the hijutsu of the clan being taught exclusively to the women,a s well as the heads of the three main families always being the associated women, whether through marriage or through birth. This is not to say that men are treated poorly, as they are, in most ways, given the exact same treatment and live as equals. However, when it comes to major clan decisions, it is the women that sit down and hash out the details, not the men. There are three great families among the Nekomata, who are the ones who have, over the years, contributed majorly and are now represented by the flowers on the clan mon as the founders. The Mugen, the first-among-equals, is represented in the center as the de facto head of the clan, with the Ōkami on the left and the Miyake on the right. Five other minor founding families are represented in the leaves, and they are the Kobayashi, Sasaki, Kimura, Ono, and Hirano families. They are much less noteworthy than the three major families, but still played an integral part in clan politics as they make up the sub-council, while the others are the high council. Through marriage, alliances, and various other means, the Nekomata have gathered and integrated numerous other families into their ranks. While these other families are not represented in clan politics, they are valued members of the society and are treated equally in all other respects save for representation on the council. However, due to that last aspect, they have learned to become shrewd politicians and lobbyists, often driving clan politics in ways other clans might not anticipate. Mugen Family The Mugen familiy are the current head of the hierarchy within the Nekomata clan and function similarly to the first-among-equals. In the past, they brought with them the Sankon Tessō techniques, which they used to bring the other clans together beneath their banner. Known for prodigious warriors and guarding the traditions of the Nekomata, they are generous, graceful, and true paragons of honor. Ōkami Family The Ōkami family brought the Kenatsu techniques, and have proven to be exceptional swordsmen in the past. While still the primary teachers and practitioners of Kenatsu, they are somewhat less militaristic than their forefathers. The Ōkami are peerless artisans among the Nekomata, being exceptional builders and smiths, and occasionally talented artists. Miyake Family The Miyake were not particularly warriors in the past and are not really warriors now. Instead, they are the feline specialists. They brought the feline familiars to the Nekomata and have kept them improving and healthy over the years. On the side, they are also rather talented politicos, using the patience of dealing with and training cats as well as their better sense of empathy to deal with people. Patience is, after all, a virtue.